Quote Originally Posted by Caitlin View Post
If your CHE are burning out in less than 3 months, something else is wrong. I'm hoping others can chime in here as I have never experienced this before. A 100 watt CHE should be enough to keep your 40 gallon at proper temps, though if your room is kept chilly you may need a higher wattage or a supplemental UTH. There is no reason you should have to worry about keeping your CHE on at all times; this needs to be addressed for the sake of your snake.

An enclosure with proper humidity will not cause scale rot. Scale rot arises from a combination of wet substrate (WET, not the very slight dampness that you find in properly hydrated substrate), incorrect temperatures, and enclosures that aren't clean.

This is what I share with new keepers who are struggling with humidity:
1. Use a moisture-friendly substrate such as cypress mulch or coconut husk. These substrates are good for mixing water into them and not molding.

2. When the substrate eventually dries out and humidity drops below desired levels, re-hydrate it. My method is to remove the artificial plants, hides, water bowl, etc. and pour several cups of water (depending on enclosure size) directly onto the substrate. You want your substrate to feel just slightly moist, but not so much that it makes your hands wet or that you can squeeze water out of it. Mix it in thoroughly, spread it out, and then replace the furniture in the enclosure. This enables the moisture to evaporate slowly throughout the week, because it is deep in the layers, rather than quickly if you mist just the top of the substrate.

3. Seal off about 3/4 of a screen mesh lid (if you have glass or a terrarium that has a screen top lid) with foil tape. Foil tape is good because aluminum does not get hot like other metals. You can use straight up aluminum foil as well, but it's crinkly and loud, does not seal as well, and is often difficult to maintain with removing the lid now and then.

4. Use a large water bowl, and put it somewhere near your heating element (either over an Under Tank Heater, or near a Ceramic Heat Emitter or Radiant Heat Panel). The extra water in the tank will evaporate into the air.

5. Mix sphagnum moss with water and squeeze it out until it is damp but not "dripping". You can either mix it straight into the substrate or put it in little mesh bags or stockings to make "moss balls", or set it in little cups where you can add more water over time.
The house stays at 65 but since it has tile, only one heat vent, the door is usually closed because of the dog at night, and I have a big window in there so it’s pretty cold in there. She luckily isn’t on the floor but on a blanket on the dresser so that keeps it a little warmer there. I will be getting her new eco earth. Would New Zealand sphagnum moss work or is there a better moss?
I will also use my fogger but this time to make sure it stays Away from the bulb. I always clean her cage and make sure to get the poop as soon as I notice it and I don’t think she has ever slithered through it. I also change her water at least once a week because she doesn’t drink it every day and I use those blue drops for the water. I can’t remember it’s name right now but I have it somewhere in my room.


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